Court to consider appeal against arrest of Nord vessel's captain on May 8

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The Kherson Regional Court will consider on May 8 an appeal against the arrest of the captain of the Nord fishing vessel, Vladimir Gorbenko, spokeswoman for the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Tetiana Tykhonchyk has told Interfax-Ukraine.

"On May 8, the Kherson Regional Court will consider an appeal against the arrest of the Nord captain," Tykhonchyk said on Tuesday, April 24.

The Ukrainian State Border Guard Service detained the Nord (home port Kerch) and its crew of ten on March 25.

The Kherson City Court put Captain Vladimir Gorbenko under arrest until May 31 and said he might be released on UAH 35,240 (about $1,300) bail. Lawyers paid his bail. He was released on April 10.

Later, Gorbenko was notified of the suspicion in committing another crime - under Article 249 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal fishing or hunting or any other sea hunting industry). The Kherson City Court selected the measure of restraint for him in the form of personal recognizance.

Other crewmembers have been charged with crossing the border illegally, which is punishable by a fine of between 100 to 300 tax-free minimum incomes or up to 15 days of administrative arrest.

The protocols on administrative offenses against seven crewmembers of the Nord vessel have currently been transferred to the Solomiansky District Court of Kyiv.